Chapter 2

Authors Notes: I'm back! Here's the next chapter for you all! I just went and did a interview today for a new job. Here's hoping things turn out okay! Anyway, Thanks again to those who posted comments ^^ I hope you all enjoy this story as it progresses and while it's in the first few chapters I have some seriously epic stuff planned. Be excited! I can only hope it lives up to your expectations. Still its got some rough patches so bear with me until I can get some things figured out. Also I'm dying from this Ducktales drought. I seriously can't wait for the new eps. Are you guys excited? What do you guys hope to see in the next few eps of the series? Also what do you think is going to happen to Webby in this story? I'm curious to know!

Lore out!

Webby awoke abruptly. Finding herself gasping, she sat straight up and looking around. Dewey had his head on her lap and by the look of his eyes still closed, he was sleeping peacefully. Glancing around her darkened room, she saw Louie at the end of her bed, hogging all the blankets. Huey was lying next to her, snoozing away on the bed with his back to her. How did she fall asleep with the Duck triplets?

She remembered them having fun with pens and then brainstorming ideas. But after that they all must have nodded off. She was sure it began with Louie.

She grasped at her shirt, heart pounding a mile a minute. What had woken her up anyways? She couldn't remember the nightmare she must have had. It was somewhat a relief. With all her anxiety driven moments she didn't want the boys finding out about her night terrors. It was just too embarrassing.

Glancing around her room she wondered if it would be possible to get back to bed. But she was alert and antsy so she figured that answered the question in of itself. Still, glancing down at the sleeping Dewey she wondered how she'd leave without awakening the boys. Finding no other option, she hoped that Dewey slept like a rock and carefully began to pull her lower half from under the male duck.

It was going good until she reached her feet and found that it would be almost impossible to escape without waking the other. Thinking up a quick lie, she shook Dewey's arm softly and whispered. "Dewey, can you move? I have to go to the bathroom."

Mumbling, Dewey barely opened his eyes and yawned as he turned, releasing Webby's legs. Seeing him frown a bit, whether from the lack of warmth or being woken up Webby simply grinned and jumped from her bed to make her get away.

She still wasn't sure where she was going. But she was awake, alert and curious. She quietly left her bedroom and wandered down the pitch black halls. The only light it seemed was coming through the windows of the full moon. Glancing out one of them, she briefly looked at the moon and then back down the rather ominous hallway. She swore she saw shadows dancing along the walls and that gave her a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. Still she continued to walk down the hallway until she finally got to the stairs. Carefully she made her way down as she finally decided where to go. Where else when you couldn't sleep?

Kitchen it was.

Once she finished there, she came out to see a figure walking up the stairs and down the hallway towards Scrooge's office. Finding this odd, Webby tilted her head slightly and followed with the utmost stealth. Once the door opened and light spilled into the hallway though, she relaxed as she saw it was a obviously fairly tired Donald. He entered the room and closed the door behind him. She could hear voices.

Slinking up to the door she realized that they would probably hear her if she opened the door. Frowning, she looked around. Eyeing the vents she felt a familiar smirk overtake her features.

"Remind me again why you woke me up at the crack of dawn Uncle Scrooge?" Donald yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Its pushing five you know."

"I'm sorry Donald, but this couldn't wait." Scrooge sighed. He hadn't slept, this much was certain.

Frowning at the others slightly disheveled appearance, Donald took the seat before the rich duck.

"What's wrong?" Donald inquired, feeling a little unease prickling at his insides. "Is it….the problem with Lena?"

A slight noise distracted the two ducks towards the vents momentarily. But once they heard nothing after, both turned their attention back to the other duck.

Scrooge shook his head slowly. "It's not that exactly. Donald.." He looked up at the younger duck with weak eyes. "I need ye to take a listen to this…"

Pushing the cellphone to the other, Donald gave Scrooge a look before pressing play on the phone. At first he was confused.

But once he heard the familiar voice echo through the speakers, his feathers paled considerably. Eyes darting to Scrooge, then back to the phone, then back to the older duck Donald held his breath until the recording stopped.

"When was this recorded?" Donald finally asked.

Sighing, Scrooge rubbed his face. "Yesterday I believe. Fenton told me about it while I checked up on him and Gyro a couple hours ago."

"Do you know what this means?" Donald looked torn between crying and smiling. He hugged the phone to his chest. "It means my sister is alive! She's alive…and.."

"And…on the moon." Gazing out the nearby window, they could just briefly see the sun rising.

Turning back to Donald, Scrooge sighed. "Now that we know this….we have to go rescue her."

"Wait.." Donald stood up. "What about Lena?"

Scrooge frowned. "That…is complicated."

Donald narrowed his eyes. "Uncle Scrooge.."

Scrooge grasped his cane tighter. "Oh blast it all! Gyro said that it could take him months.. probably more like years to get access to the Shadow Realm and find a way to make Lena whole within this realm okay?!"

Donald looked shocked at this news. "Are you giving up on her?"

"No, never." Scrooge turned back to Donald. "But how can aye bring her back? It might take years to bring her back!"

"Like Della.." Donald stated.

Scrooge grit his beak and said nothing. "I have no choice. I'm splitting up my team. One will work on a ship to bring Della home."

Donald's eyes were shut tightly. "No, you can't turn your back on that poor girl." Opening his eyes he got in his uncles face and pointed a feathered finger into his chest. "You started this, you will finish it! No matter how long it takes. You are Scrooge McDuck and you need to start acting like it again!"

Scrooge frowned and clutched his cane tightly once more, shocked at the way Donald was acting.

"But, what about ye sister?" Scrooge looked lost. "Donald….I…."

Donald looked away. "Would Della really forgive us if we abandoned a child in the Shadow World to save her?" He clenched his hands into fists. "I want her back more than anything! But how can I…knowing that Lena, a girl we are now charged with is lost within the shadows?!"

A sudden slam, caused the two ducks to swing their heads towards the air vents where Webby was now standing.

"Don't worry about Lena…" Webby stated.

"Webby?!" Donald was shocked.

"Webbigail what are ye doing?!" Scrooge walked over to the girl and dusted her feathers. She was covered in gray smudges.

Webby's fierce eyes met the older ducks. "I said, I'll take care of the problem with Lena."

Taken aback, Donald frowned.

Scrooge seemed skeptical. "And how do ye plan to do this lassie?"

Clenching her hands into fists she met the older ducks eyes fiercely. With a smirk, "How do you think Uncle Scrooge? I am Webbigail Vanderquack after all. My Granny didn't just teach me how to protect myself." Crossing her arms, she took a step towards them. "Thank you, both for worrying so much about Lena. But, I feel I have to do this. If what you said is true, the boys need their mother. Della needs to come home." She looked at Donald as she said this. "Huey, Dewey and Louie all deserve to have a mother figure in their lives. Dewey especially misses his mom so much. I want to give them this." Sending them a wistful smile, she firmly nodded.

"Don't worry Uncle Scrooge, Donald….I promise not to do anything reckless to save Lena. I won't…run away this time. I know if I have your guidance you can help me achieve what is seemingly impossible."

"Yer going to use magic aren't ye?" Scrooge deadpanned.

Donald squawked in surprise.

Webby was shocked to say the least. "How did you know?"

Scrooge sighed. "It's pretty easy to deduce. Without knowledge of science ye'd go for the next easiest pathway."

Webby glanced away and wrung her hands nervously. "I know you don't like magic Uncle Scrooge but I feel like it's the only-"

Holding up his hand, Scrooge stopped her sentence and knelt by the young lass, brushing a hand through her hair. "It's not that aye hate magic. It's just so easy to use…ye take shortcuts. But sometimes when the long game isn't worth it….magic is acceptable." He smiled slightly. "That being said, magic is dangerous, more than often it requires a price. And while I detest shortcuts, I feel like we have little time." Nodding slightly he turned back to Donald. The younger duck smiled and nodded firmly.

"So, lass ye have my blessing to explore my archive to see if there is a spell to bring her. But ye must promise me this. Once ye find it, bring it straight to me." Scrooge was firm on this. "No trying it out on ye own. Aye must determine if its safe. Ye'll be no use to Lena if ye are blown up after all." He chuckled.

"Or sent to an alternate timeline where you end up knee deep in a war." Donald muttered, crossing his arms and glaring at his Uncle.

Scrooge rolled his eyes. "One time Donald, I accidentally sent ye to a parallel world one time!...and if ye didn't touch that blasted idol ye wouldn't have ended up there."

Webby was all smiles at their conversation. She was safe, she could explore at her leisure and find a spell to free Lena! Jumping around in excitement, Webby hugged both parental figure ducks and thanked them repeatedly as only Webby could. With that, a determined expression crossed her face and she ran out of the room.

Scrooge0 smiled fondly and watched her leave. But a sound Donald made turned his attention back to his nephew. With a sigh, he shrugged.

"Looks like Webby's got us both beat. I know she will find a way to save Lena." Donald had much faith in the young girl. Out of all of them, Webby was the most responsible and the most likely to get it done.

"Aye, that she is. Donald…about Della." Scrooge started and Donald waved his hand.

"Do what you will old man." The black and white clad duck nodded to his uncle. "I expect to be given updates on the progress. And I'll be flying up to save her too."

Scrooge's eyes lit up and a fire once more burned within in. "Ye don't need to worry about any of that." Adjusting his top hat, Scrooge spun his cane and set it down. "The rocket will be done in two months time. Be sure of that."

Donald couldn't help but feel his heart flutter at those words. Two months, in a little past two months he could finally see his sister again.

He couldn't help but be excited to start his day, even if he only had four hours of sleep.

Maybe luck was smiling on them all once again.

Webby made her way back to her room. But hesitated before she stepped inside. She wondered if the others were awake yet. Her hand was stilled upon the door knob as her mind was running a mile a minute.

"Webbigail. A word." Scrooges' words from behind her made her jump a bit. She turned around and saw the older duck looking a little exhausted.

"Sure.." Together the two made their way into a nearby room. "What's up?"

"About Della, I think it would be wise to not tell the lads about this quite yet."

"What? Why?" Webby asked, confused. "I thought this family was done keeping secrets. Nothing good ever comes from it."

Scrooge sighed. "Aye, yes. But in this case something is bothering me. I don't understand why we have this sudden news so soon. The chance Della is there is high, but there's a lot that can go wrong. Also, there is a chance that Della is no longer alive."

"But that recording.."

"Aye but that recording could have been made at any time she was stuck there. For some reason it finally reached here. Ye see what I mean? Until I'm absolutely positive it's her aye don't want to give them false hope. Do ye?" Scrooge smiled at her weakly. Webby understood, she slowly shook her head.

"I promise I will tell them once I know for sure she's okay." He gently set a hand on the young girls shoulders. "I know this is a big secret for ye to keep. I'm sorry to make ye do this Webby. But ye trust me don't ye?"

Webby turned to Scrooge and gave a bright smile. "Of course Uncle Scrooge. I'll always trust you." Hugging him tightly she wondered briefly if this was the right thing to do.

After that talk, Webby's mind was in chaos. Shaking her head slowly, she made her way outside the manor. Sitting on the steps, she watched the sun rise and stared at her feet. Propping her head on the palm of her hand, she kept feeling like what she was doing was wrong. But, she trusted Scrooge to know what was right. Was it right to give the boys false hope? Clenching her other hand against her chest, she briefly thought about her own past. The moment she learned about her own parents fate and how devastated she had been. All that hope had washed down the drain then. She couldn't do that them right now. As she stared at her shadow, she reached out and brushed her fingertips against the cool cement where it was.

"Oh Lena, what do I do?" She whispered to her shadow. Since the events at the Amazon, she hadn't seen Lena again. Her shadow remained her own and that left an uneasiness within her. Lamenting about the secret she now held within her heart wouldn't bring either Lena nor Della back. Standing up, she glanced out at the city spread before her. Her eyes rested upon the money bin. The archive there held her answers. Of this, she was sure.

As she glanced back at the manor and looked down, frowning and clenching her hands at her sides. "I'm sorry guys…"

She ran and didn't look back.

It was from then on, Webby was always at the archive. She would accept help from the boys of course, but it seemed as if she was trying to avoid them most of the time.

It was something all three were starting to notice. At times, she would have her head crammed in a book and wouldn't answer their questions. Some meals she skipped completely and when Dewey tried to get her to eat she said she wasn't hungry.

That wasn't the only thing they noticed too. The bags under her eyes seemed to grow darker as each day passed.

Huey one time passed by her bedroom one night and heard a scream. Running inside, he noticed she had awoken from what seemed to be a nightmare. When he went to ask her about it, she blew him off saying it was nothing really. "Just a silly nightmare."

Webby was going through something and even Beakley noticed her granddaughters increasingly worrying behavior.

Donald and Scrooge meanwhile were working on building the rocket. Gyro tried to talk Scrooge out of it being built in two months, but he would not have it. So having forced to ignore several safety protocols, Gyro was working day and night to built the craft.

Donald had been working non stop to help them he hadn't seen the boys much. He felt sad about that, but he was working hard to bring their mother back to them. He figured the boys would be proud.

"I'm worried." Beakley stated bluntly before Scrooge and Donald.

"What?" Scrooge frowned, while Donald yawned.

"I'm worried about Webby, she hasn't been sleeping well and been devoting herself completely to bringing Lena back. It's not healthy. Dewey stated she isn't eating." Beakley brushed a hand through her hair with a sigh.

"Did ye talk to her?" Scrooge asked carefully.

"Of course I have," Beakley, exasperated slammed a fist onto his desk.

"But every time she simply says she is fine and not to worry. It's rather infuriating that my own granddaughter won't let me help her."

Scrooge and Donald shared a look.

"Mrs Beakley, Webby might just be going through something. I don't think you need to worry. She's very capable." Donald gave her a slight smile.

"Aye, that gal has her head on straight. Maybe she's got a lead she wants to follow and is so excited about it she can't sleep. Don't ye worry. She will get her sleep and food in her. The boys wouldn't let anything happen to her." Scrooge said warmly.

It was true, the triplets and Webby had almost been attached at the hip now.

But she had been seeing her granddaughter alone much more lately.

Despite what the others said, she could feel it in her bones that something was wrong.

So as they dispersed she started to form a plan in her mind. It seems like an intervention might be in order.

"Oh Webby darling, it seems as if you leave me no choice."

"Guys…" Dewey stood before his brothers, hands on his hips. "What should we do?"

His two brothers glanced up from their positions. Huey sat his Junior Woodchuck guidebook down and crossed his arms across his chest.

"About?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Webby." Dewey stated and Louie gave a dramatic sigh, his eyes traveling back to his phone in his hands.

"Dude, look just give her space. Obviously, she doesn't want us helping her anymore." There was a hint of hurt in those words, Dewey gave his brother a sympathetic glance.

"Look I know what it looks like but I think she's hiding something from us." Dewey seemed determined.

"Even if she is, confronting her and backing her into a corner won't make her tell us." Huey reminded. "We all care about Webby but maybe leaving things as they are is really the best course for us. No use poking a bear."

"A very angsty bear." Louie added. "With fists that can punch through metal."

Dewey frowned, glancing at the ground. "I guess." He slowly smiled at his brothers. "I just don't want her to feel like she has to do this alone."

"She knows." Louie commented. "Goodness knows you two have been joined at the hip long enough for me to be worried."

"Worried? About what?" Dewey asked, confused.

Louie gave his brother a slightly sinister smirk. "Oh you know bro.."

"What? No I don't know!" Dewey looked annoyed.

Huey rolled his eyes and put his book back up against his face, not wanting to get involved.

Louie chuckled and jumped up as his brother advanced on him. "Oh c'mon seriously? You don't know?" His grin was positively wicked by now.

Dewey reached out to grasp his brother but Louie slipped from his grasp and danced out into the hallway. "NO! Now tell me!"

"Nope!" Was the green clad ducks answer as he bolted down the hallway with an irritated Dewey racing behind.

Screams of "Tell me!" and "Not on your life!" echoed throughout the hallway.

Webby didn't see the two boys barreling through the hallway as she turned the corner. Eyes widening, the two boys failed to stop as they crashed into the young female duck.

Letting out a cry, Webby hit the ground on her back. The breath was knocked out of her as Louie landed on top of her, followed by Dewey.

It seemed as if she was slipping. Normally she would have been able to dodge the brothers easy. But even now she felt dizzy as the two were nervously speed talking apologies to her. They helped her up to her feet with worried expressions.

"Oh, don't worry about it guys." She said, her eyes finally able to focus on both brothers before her.

"Really Webby we should know better than to run through the hallways, what are we? Five?" Dewey mumbled that last part.

Louie was glancing at the female duck who seemed almost on the verge of passing out. "Webby? You ok?"

She blinked, trying to clear her mind and gave Louie a slight smile. "Yeah I'm fine!" But her peppiness wasn't there. It seemed as if she was dragging herself.

Dewey and Louie's eyes met and then Louie's eyes narrowed.

"Alright, enough Mr. Nice guy." Grasping onto Webby's arm, his eyes widened as he could almost feel her wrist bone. Gripping a bit harder than he had intended, he ignored her wince as he began to drag her back to her bedroom.

"Ow! Louie what are you- let go!" Webby tried to pull her arm free.

But she couldn't.

She had been using all her strength but nothing had happened. The shock of this alone caused her to obediently follow the youngest triplet as he led her back to her bedroom. Dewey was trailing behind, looking worried.

Once inside her bedroom, the boys locked the door behind them and Louie stood arms crossed.

"Webby, what is going on?" Louie demanded.

"What are you talking about?" Webby was rubbing her wrist and not meeting their eyes.

Louie gripped the sleeves of his hoodie tighter.

"Webs, we are really worried about you." Dewey tried, walking closer to his best friend. He reached out and set it upon her head. That's when Webby glanced up and realized something.

"Have you guys grown?" Webby looked at both of them, realizing slightly that they seemed a hair taller than her now.

"Wha, really?" It was then that Dewey noticed it as well. When had this happened?

But Louie wasn't letting the conversation derail. "Nice try Webbigail." He marched up. "I won't be taking no for an answer. Why aren't you eating? Why aren't you sleeping right? Huey told us about the nightmare. What are you hiding from us?"

At that last comment, something within Webby snapped. "Nothing! I'm not hiding anything!" She said way too quickly.

Dewey was frowning now. "I thought we were friends."

Webby glanced up.

"I thought that after the Amazon thing you would trust us enough to let us help you! But your just doing things on your own again! It's always the same. If you really trusted us you wouldn't be hiding things like this!" Dewey's voice was rising as he could feel his own anger ignite. Louie looked a little shocked at what his brother said.

So did Webby. Blinking, her own anger began to flame as she blinked back tears. "What do you know about me? Why are you both acting like this? I am not hiding anything!" A lie. "I thought we are friends too but if you can't trust me to do what is right where does that leave us? I can't tell you guys everything even I have things I can't so easily talk about." She was resisting the urge to punch the boy duck in front of her. She never would in a malicious way, but Dewey was seriously starting to piss her off.

"Webby we are family! That means through thick and thin we trust and depend on each other! How can I believe that you are doing what is best if you won't tell me?"

"Why do you need to know everything?" Webby countered. "I'm not like you three! I can't share everything about myself to you!"

"Hey we don't share everything to each other." Louie commented.

"Stay out of this Louie!" Both shouted at the younger brother.

Rolling his eyes, Louie went to the door. "Listen when you two are finished with your married couple quarrel let me know."

"Were not a married couple!" Both yelled as Louie left the room.

Dewey turned back onto Webby, getting into her face. "I trusted you with some of my most personal secrets! Why can't you do the same?"

"Why are you trying to make me?! That's not what friends do!" Webby pointed at the young duck and then crossed her arms across her chest.

"Because look at what it is doing to you!" He spread his arms out wide and grasped onto her hand, dragging her into the bathroom and making her look in the mirror. "Look! Look at what this is doing to you!" His eyes were glassy. He wished she could for once just see sense. "Even if you can't tell me what is going on at least tell someone! I feel like I'm losing my best friend."

And Webby did look. Her eyes widened at the dark circles underneath them, the fact that her clothes that once fit her now looked a little baggy, her hair frazzled and looked as if it hadn't been brushed in days.

She was a mess.

Her lower beak quivered and she felt more tears come to her eyes.

She couldn't do this.

Scrooges' words echoed within her mind once more.

"I know this is a big secret for ye to keep. I'm sorry to make ye do this Webby. But ye trust me don't ye?"

Slamming her eyes shut, she grasped her hands together. "I….I do…"

"You do what?" Dewey inquired, he had his head tilted slightly and gave her a raised eyebrow.

At that, she snapped to attention and spun around, she was now in complete flight response mode.

"Hey- Wait no Webby-wait!" Dewey reached out to grasp her but his hand caught air.

Webby quickly found an open air vent and quickly ducked inside.

But Dewey was on her tail and wasn't about to let her run away. Squirming inside the vent as well he followed her through the vents. "Webby stop! Let's talk about this!"

She made a hard right turn and tried to tune out Dewey's pleas.

"Webby! Wait-Ow!" Cursing her quick moves, Dewey lost sight of her for just a second and could feel his patience snap.

"FINE! Keep running away from your problems! See how well that goes!" But he instantly regretted those words he yelled and sighed, lying in the vent and groaning. Banging his head on the metal he wondered what he should do now.

Then he heard his Uncle Donalds voice. It was faint but he lifted his head up and started to crawl towards it. "Stupid Webby, maybe Uncle Donald might know what to do." He just couldn't understand why Webby was being like this. But he could see the pain in her eyes.

"…It's almost done Uncle Scrooge." Donalds voice became clearer and Dewey stopped, tilting his head to the side he crawled to the vent his voice came from.

"Perfect, thank ye so much lad for all of this. Yer help is much appreciated. I'm glad we will be able finally get this solved soon and bring her back."

Bring who back?

"Hopefully." Was Donald's strangled reply.

"Donald?" Scrooge looked at his nephew with a worried expression.

"I was just thinking..if that recording was old. And all were doing is for naught." Donald slumped into the chair of his office.

"Aye, you thought so huh?" Scrooge paused a bit. "That's why I asked Webby not to tell the boys."

Dewey's heart stopped.

"Even if we have this recording of Della from the moon, there's no proof that she is still alive…"